Waunakee Rotarians learned more about their fellow members during the 3x5 talks at the Nov. 20 meeting. Those talks have three members sharing a little bit about themselves, and on the heels of Veterans Day, the club heard about their military service, along with why they joined Rotary.
Pat Durden joined in 1993 when Jim Steffenhagen was a member. Pat had just retired from the Navy after a little over 21 ½ years. He shared a number of details about his service, including obtaining his GED at Tuskegee University, an all Black college, in order to advance to become an anti-submarine warfare operator.
The two-year training process included survival skills training that involved hiking 55 miles through the mountains with enemy pursuit. Those who are caught go to a POW camp, and at the camp, Pat's eardrum and nose were broken.
Afterwards, Pat spent many years in electronic warfare finding submarines. He was also a search and rescue swimmer and conducted 69 rescues. He recalled a Marine Colonel off of the coast of Virginia who flew into the wrong area and was shot down by a the U.S. Navy.
The worst was the rescue of the SS Marine Electric, which sank while in Chesapeake Bay. Pat was able to save the first three; the other 31 members did not survive.
***
Tom Kennedy joined Rotary in the 1980s with his brother, David, when their father was a member, then left for about 25 years before returning.
Tom spent three years in the Army and was in Vietnam. Afterwards, he joined the Wisconsin National Guard.
Tom is a veterinary scientist and has done research in parasites. He got involved with an effort to find vaccines that would target parasites, such as cryptosporidiosis, which can result in death but mainly makes “life miserable,” Tom said. It affects children in developing countries.
Tom has worked to use a drug in dairy calves to show it works as a springboard for a drug for humans. He’s also worked on developing a malaria vaccine, and talked about the research efforts.
***
John Reuter came to Rotary because his father had polio. He had known Tony Burns, who is now the Waunakee club’s president, and joined.
Out of high school, John was working in a grocery store. Without a college degree, he joined the Air National Guard and was deployed to Kurdistan. There he spent his off time volunteering at an orphanage, where he and other service members built bathrooms and helped out.
John then joined the Air National Guard full time. He’s now retired and works as a realtor.
***
Originally from Kenosha, Nick Mischler’s family had a funeral home that sparked his interest in medicine. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and spent time in Pensacola, then was stationed in California.
After three years in the Navy, he came back and went to medical school. He worked in oncology then entered the business side of medicine.
Nick is retired now and mainly volunteers and works on capital campaigns. A member of the Waunakee Area Public Arts Committee, Nick said a new arts project called Legacy of Lands will be commissioned once an artist is chosen, and he’ll be working on the next capital campaign.
******
Other News
This Friday at 5 p.m., Rotarians are invited to Village Park to see how the lights are turned on. A group will also be changing out or tightening any lightbulbs as needed.
For the next meeting Dec. 4, bring cookies for the Rotary at the Village Center event to be held Dec. 6.
If you are looking to order poinsettias or cheese boxes from the DeForest Rotary Club, see Phil Willems. He has order forms.
Coming Up
Guests: ???
Greeters: Nov. 27, Happy Thanksgiving! Dec. 4, Tracy Graber and Nick Mischler; Dec. 11, Ross Mauer and Drew Lawrence; Dec. 18, David Rupp and Lauren Freeman; Dec. 25, Happy Holidays!
To sign up to greet or to find out when you are greeting, visit:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/
